Disclaimer: Claiming ownership to something that isn't yours isn't nice. No matter how much you want to do it. Therefore, I'll just say that I don't own Cardcaptor Sakura or Naruto. CLAMP and Kishimoto-san do.

A/N: Okiedokies. So I'm sorry again. Just because I'm a horrible person. I keep letting people down. A lot. But I'll really try to keep this one going.

-- Sakura Kaijuu

P.S. – So this is a little late, cuz it's already been up for a day, but I'll make an effort anyway. I forget that not everyone reads Naruto as hardcore as I do (or more so) and so are unfamiliar with the ninja jargon. Especially since I posted this in CCS. So here's a mini list of things from Naruto:

Kunoichi: female ninja

Shinobi: ninja

Kunai: knife

Chakra: the form of energy used for ninjutsu and genjutsu in Naruto's world

Ninjutsu: the basic techniques (clones, replacement, etc.)

Genjutsu: illusion techniques

I think that's it for now. If you're not sure about anything else, check out or Between the two of them they cover pretty much everything.

-- Sakura

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A Twist in the Mission

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As Kakashi, his team, and Sakura walked down the stairs to meet their charge, Naruto barraged the new girl with questions. "What's your world like? How did you get magic? Is magic like chakra? What else can that stick do?"

"Naruto…shut up…" Sakura Haruno was getting annoyed. Even though she was curious too.

Sasuke glanced back at the three and rolled his eyes. The new Sakura was between his two arguing teammates, looking nervous. "Just leave her alone."

Naruto and Sakura looked up from their squabbling and the emerald-eyed girl looked relieved. Kakashi looked around. "The girl is right over there."

She was sitting down and looking out a window. She had medium length purple hair tied up into high pigtails. They could see that her eyes were dark, like Sasuke's.

"Excuse me," Kakashi tapped the girl on the shoulder. She looked surprised. "Are you the girl to escort to the Hidden Grass Village?"

"Oh! Yes. My name is Arashi. Are you Kakashi-san?"

"Yes Arashi-san. And this is my team. We will take you back to your village safely." He pointed to each of the children, "This is Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura Haruno, and Sakura Kinomoto."

"I am pleased to meet you," Arashi stood and bowed slightly. "Would you like to leave?"

"If you're ready, miss."

Arashi grabbed her bag and smiled. "Then let's go!" She started out the door and the team followed her out.

----

As they left the village, Kakashi gave orders to his team. "Naruto, Sakura, Sasuke, your duty is to protect Arashi-san. And Sakura-san. This journey will take a few days, so I hope you're prepared."

"Oh!" Sakura blushed a little. "You guys don't need to worry about me! I have my own protection!"

Kakashi smiled sympathetically. "I understand, but I still want to make sure that you stay safe. You don't appear to have been in many combat situations."

"Hey!" Kero flew out from Sakura's bag. "You didn't see her collecting the Clow Cards! And you didn't watch her battle against something she didn't understand to make the Sakura Cards!"

Kakashi stared at the little orange creature. "You were only allowed along if you stayed quiet. I could make Sakura-san send you back to the village."

"Kero-chan!" Sakura snatched him out of the air, looking humiliated. "Why do you do this to me?"

Kero frowned and flew back into the bag. "If they make anymore cracks about your powers, I'll burn them all."

She rolled her eyes. "Just be quiet, will you?"

Naruto frowned at the bag. "That thing's annoying. Why is it here?"

"Because he's my friend," Sakura said simply.

"Oh."

"There are many different kinds of power in the world, Naruto-kun," Arashi said unexpectedly.

He squinted at her. "What?"

She turned to him. "Just like I said; there are many different kinds of power in the world."

The Sakura of Team Seven turned around, interested in spite of herself. "Like what?"

"Well, there's the power you use for ninjustu and genjutsu, chakra. And there's also power like Sakura-san's. But you also have to take political power into account," Arashi replied. She made a face at her last remark.

"Is that why you have to go to the Hidden Grass Village?" the kunoichi asked carefully.

"I'm not at liberty to discuss that information," Arashi replied. She returned to her quiet walk and quickly joined Kakashi at the front to avoid further questions.

The pink-haired girl walked next to the other Sakura. "Do you think Arashi-san is a political pawn?"

Sakura jumped in surprise. This girl was quiet. "Um…I dunno. Maybe. She's nice though."

Naruto turned around, "Eh? What are you guys talking about?"

Sasuke snorted. "Naruto, you are the most clueless guy I have ever met."

He glared at his rival, "Why don't you shut up, Sasuke!"

Sasuke shook his head and smirked. While Sakura looked devastated and Naruto fought himself to keep control, Sakura Kinomoto saw a flash of movement in the bushes. In the next second she sensed a powerful aura and saw something flying towards Arashi. "Arashi-san!"

The three genin looked from Sakura to Arashi. Arashi looked scared and Kakashi stood in front of her with a kunai caught in his hand. Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke each took a kunai from their pouches and surrounded Arashi on the sides and back. Kero flew out of Sakura's bag and looked at the place where the aura was coming from. "What is this?"

Sakura removed the key. "RELEASE!"

Kakashi looked from Sakura back to the trees. She removed one of the cards from her pocket. "Windy! Become the chain that binds!"

A woman flew out from the card and entered the foliage. After a muffled gasp, Windy returned, holding in her grasp a man who bore a hitai-ate with a jagged line engraved in the metal.

Kakashi walked up to the shinobi nonchalantly, kunai still in hand. "So, a ninja from the Hidden Grass Village?"

The man didn't answer and instead struggled against Windy's grasp. Windy winced against the man's force, and Sakura glared at him. Team Seven watched him carefully. They also watched the green woman with wings in fascination. Even Sasuke couldn't hide his shock.

Eventually the foreign shinobi stopped struggling and just glared at Kakashi. The jounin turned to his guest, "Sakura-san, could you release him, please? I would like to speak to our friend without worrying about your companion."

She nodded and put the staff down. Windy released the ninja and returned to her card form. As soon as Windy had let him go, Kakashi trapped him against a tree. "Naruto, Sakura, come here and tie our guest."

As the two genin walked toward the enemy, the pink haired Sakura looked curiously at Arashi and then looked back at Kakashi. Naruto looked confused too. They exchanged an anxious glance before tying the ninja to the tree.

The other Sakura had backed up to Arashi and Sasuke without being asked, figuring that the girl still needed the protection of at least two people.

"Why did you attack Arashi-san?" Kakashi asked flatly. "We're delivering her to your village. And you obviously weren't after us."

The man remained silent, but glared at the Leaf jounin. Naruto had reached his limit. "Why are we bothering with him! We should just leave him!"

"Idiot," came Sasuke's voice.

"WHAT!" Naruto looked furious.

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "You do realize that leaving him leaves us open to attack later, right?"

The kunoichi giggled and the cardcaptor looked confused. She looked anxiously from Naruto to Sasuke, wondering what to do. Arashi looked unimpressed.

Kakashi, without taking his eyes off the enemy nin, broke up the quickly rising tension. "Both of you shut up. Sasuke's right, Naruto. I know you're impatient. But it's important to know why he attacked Arashi-san. Sasuke, you need to control yourself a little."

Naruto crossed his arms angrily and Sasuke shrugged it off. Sakura sighed and shook her head. The other Sakura, still looking awkward approached Kakashi. "Um…Kakashi-san, I think I know a way I can help. Maybe."

"Really, Sakura-san?" Kakashi looked interested. He looked back at the Grass ninja. "Sakura, Sasuke, Naruto, you three make sure that our friend doesn't escape and that Arashi-san stays safe. We don't know if there's anyone else out there. Sakura-san, come with me for a second."

Sakura followed the masked nin obediently. After they were a few yards away from the group, Kakashi looked at her expectantly. She clutched the staff a little tighter and stared at the ground. Kero popped his head out of the bag to hear Sakura's idea better. "Um…In my deck of cards I have one that induces illusions. I could make him think he was reporting to his commander person." Kakashi was silent for a moment. Sakura looked up at him worriedly. "Is it a bad idea?"

He smiled at her. "Actually, Sakura-san, I was wondering how much energy it would take for you to do that."

She smiled back brightly, "Oh, not much at all!"

"Ha! Like creating such a simple illusion would be hard for the great Cardcaptor Sakura!" Kero scoffed.

"Kero-chan!" Sakura looked at him and blushed.

Kakashi chuckled. "Then it's a brilliant idea, Sakura-san. I was thinking about using some of my techniques, but it would wipe me out a little to do it."

"Okay!" Sakura said excitedly. She bounced back to the others, grabbing the bag for dear life with the force of her sudden movement.

He watched her go back to the others with a smile like sunshine on her face. Kakashi wondered idly what it was that made Sakura Kinomoto so likeable.

----

Tsunade was too busy to take care of Syaoran and Tomoyo. So she had had Shizune go get whatever genin weren't on missions to come to her office. It turned out that that Team Ten wasn't on a mission. So Chouji, Ino, and Shikamaru were forced to guide Syaoran and Tomoyo around.

Tomoyo and Ino were talking like they were old friends, and Chouji was eating potato chips. Shikamaru had forgone his chuunin flak in lieu of the fact that he was only going to be in the village and Syaoran was looking around, but not really taking any of it in.

"No way!" Ino shouted, breaking the semi-silence the group was walking in.

Shikamaru sighed and turned around. "What is it, Ino?"

Ino ran up to Syaoran and grabbed his arm. "Are you really in love with Sakura?" Her expression was excited and hungry for gossip.

Chouji looked confused. "What? But he only met her a few hours ago."

Ino rolled her eyes. "Don't you ever pay attention? Godaime-sama already told us that Syaoran and Tomoyo were traveling with another girl named Sakura. She went with Sasuke-kun." She pouted. "Lucky."

By this time Syaoran was red as a strawberry. His frozen face looked from Ino and Chouji to Tomoyo, who was giggling a little. Then he registered Ino's last comment. "Wait. Sasuke? The quiet one?"

"Yeah…" Shikamaru cradled the back of his head in his hands. "He's so troublesome. And because he's so cool about anything the girls fall all over him. I don't know why they think he's so great."

Ino gave Shikamaru a death stare. "Just because you're jealous of the attention Sasuke-kun gets doesn't mean that you have to insult him!" She turned back to Syaoran. "But is what Tomoyo said true? Are you in love with your Sakura?"

Syaoran froze up again. He glanced at Tomoyo, who smiled encouragingly. He swallowed. "Y-yes…" If possible, he became redder than before.

"Awww! That's so adorable!" Ino looked extremely happy. She sighed. "If only Sasuke-kun felt that way about me!"

Chouji and Shikamaru shook their heads. Ino was still Ino. That was for sure.

Shikamaru glanced back at the new boy. This kid…He was different. He wasn't paying attention to anything. And not because he was lazy. Because he was distracted by something else. He wondered if this other Sakura was the reason. And he wondered if the other Sakura was as troublesome as the other girls he knew. From Tsunade's description, she didn't seem to be.

Tomoyo walked up to Syaoran and gave him a little push to get him walking again. Then she looked at where they were. It was a big gate. "Where are we?"

"Eh?" Shikamaru glanced back at the violet haired girl. "Oh…This is the village gate. It's the only proper way in or out of the village."

Both Syaoran and Tomoyo looked at the gate. Tomoyo's face held a look of wistfulness and worry. Syaoran's was serious as ever, but Tomoyo's experienced eyes spotted worry within his auburn eyes.

"What is it, Tomoyo?" Ino looked from the gate to her new friend in curiosity.

Tomoyo shook her head and smiled. "Nothing, Ino-chan. We're just wondering how Sakura-chan is doing."

"Probably fine. It was a simple enough mission," Ino replied simply.

"No…" Syaoran spoke calmly and seriously. "If it was something simple, we wouldn't be here. Nothing is left to chance. That's something I've learned since meeting Sakura."

----

A/N: Ha ha! I finished chapter three! I had about a third of it written down. And then I made up the rest of it. So if the writing style changed somewhere through it, it's cuz it was so long between beginning this chapter and ending it.

I hope I'm doing a decent job of differentiating between the two Sakura's. I can't go by eye color unless I get uber-specific about shades of green. And I'm lazy. If you can think of any other ways to talk about them, suggestions are welcome.

Fortunately for you people I'm all into CCS and Naruto again. Hardcore. So I remember how to think like the characters. Well…I'm not into CCS much right now, but I'm into Tsubasa Chronicle, and that's reminding me of the general characters. If I go OOC, tell me! I'll fix it. Best I can.

Don'tcha just love how I brought Shikamaru, Ino, and Chouji into it? I do. I knew I had to. I couldn't just leave Syaoran and Tomoyo out of the rest of the story. I have plans for them. And for Team Ten.

Wow…Long Author's Note. Well, check ya later, keep reading, and R+R (please).

-- Sakura Kaijuu